Votdtghuachine



u. P. MCCAHTHY. VOTING MACHINE.

D. P'. McCARTHY. 'VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.5l 1918.

Patented June 24, 1919.

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DANIEL r. MCCARTHY, or raars, ILLINOIS.

, VOTINGPMACHINE.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

ratented'aune 24, 1919.

Application led January 5, 1918. Serial No'. 210,478.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL P. MOCAR- THY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paris, in the county of Edgar and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voting-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use `the same.

This invention relates to improvements in voting machines of the type used at general and primary elections, and the invention has for its object to provide an exceptionally simple and eiicient machine of this character in which the vote registering means for the respective candidates are" actuated by removable and interchangeable pins supported in a carrier barwhich is actuated by the mechanism of the voting machine.

J Another object is to provide a plurality of supplemental carrier bars to be used kin conjunction with the main carrier bar when the machine is used at primary elections.

With these and other objects kin view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination yand arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 represents a fragmentary planv view of the voting machine, the cover being removed,

Fig. 2 represents a fragmentary Side elevation, partly in section of the voting machine, and 9 y 'F ig. 3 representsl an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view through themachine inthe plane of the axis of the drive pinion.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar. reference numerals designate `corresponding parts throughout 'the' Pairs of spaced spur wheels14 and 15 are' secured upon the shafts12 and 13 and support the belts 16, which latter are provided with ya erp-tures 17 receivingv lthe teeth of the spur w eels to prevent lost motion between the wheels and belts.

A carrier bar 18, which is movable longitudinally of the frame 10, is secured at its opposite terminals Vto the belts 16 and is adapted to travel therewith. The top of the carrier bar 1S is formed with a series of uniformly spaced apertures 19, lreceiving a number of removable and interchangeable pins 20 of a number corresponding to the number of votes allowed each voter and the space to the rear of the pins is subdivided by a series of lines between which the names of the candidates are marked.

A supporting shaft 21 is journaled in the side members of the frame 10, adjacent the rear end of the latter, and pivotally supports a series of depending arms 22, corresponding in number to the number of pins 2O and movable independently of each other. The lower terminals of the several arms22 are pivotally secured at 23 to actuating pawls 24, which engage the teeth of the ratchet wheels 25 supported upon a shaft 26 and also rotatable independently of each other. The arms 22 are arranged in uniformly spaced relation and directly in line with the apertures in the carrier bar 18, and are of such length as to be engaged by the pins 20 during the rearward movement of the bar. A pivotedpawl 27 is supported on the shaft 21 laterally of each arm 22 and engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 25 associated therewith to prevent retrograde rotation thereof.

Upper and lower ,shafts 28 and 29, respectively, are journaled in the rear part of the frame 10 and inthe lower portions of the rear legs 11 and support a series of independently `rotatable spools 30 and 31.

Registering bands or belts 32 are supported upon and operable by each ypair of spools 30 and 31, and the upper spool 30 is integrally connected with a gear wheel 33, which meshes with a gear wheel 34 carried by the ratchet wheel 25. As will be under stood, each ratchet wheel 25 is connected with oneof the spools 30 through the gear wheels 33l and 34, whereby as each ratchet wheel is actuated a corresponding movement is imparted to the registering belt 32, which latter is l'suitably marked to register the number of votes cast for each candidate.

A cover 35 is supported upon the rear portion of the frame 10 and conceals the shaft 21, and the registering mechanismr located behind it. v

After the voting pins 2O have passed and actuated the arms 22, the carrier bar 18 moves over the rear wheels 15, and the pins fall out lby gravity into a chute 36, having a discharge mouth 37 in the lower portion, whereby pins are directed into a suitable receiver (not shown).

A vertically movable guard door 86 is slidable between guides 37 secured to the inner surfaces of the side members of the frame 10, and the upper portion of the door is connected with pivoted depending rods 88. The lower terminals of the rods 38 are pivotally connected at 39 with pinions 40, which mesh with pinions 41 secured to the opposed terminals of the rear supporting shaft 13, whereby rotary movement of the latter is transmitted to the pinions 41, so as to effect vertical reciprocatory movement of the guard door 86a. One pinion 41 is rigidly connectedk with a relatively small pinion 42, which meshes with the` drive pinion 48 supported upon a shaft 44 journaled in a bracket 45. The bracket 45 is rigidly supported upon one of the side members of they frame 10, and is provided with a handle 4G for convenience in actuating the machine, As will be readily understood, thc door 3G serves as a guard member to prevent tampering with the registering mechanism by the voter, but this door and the means for lifting the same can be replaced by any suitable equivalent guard device commonly used for this purpose as the door and the parts associated therewith do not affect the operation of the registering mechanism itself. 4

A vote registering device 47 is secured to the inner surface of one of the side members of the frame 10 and is operable by a relatively stationary pin 48 secured at one end of the carrier bar 18, whereby the number of voters using the machine may be readily determined. n y

F or convenience inV identifying the several apertures 19 in the carrier bar 18 with the several candidates for, office said bar may be either marked with the names of the candidates, or their names may be determined by key numbers or colors, and the voter who has been previously furnished with a. predetermined number of pins 2O inserts them in the apertures 19 representing the candidates for whom he desires to vote, and then by turning the handle 46 of the gear wheel 43 the carrier bar 18 is.

Two or more supplemental carrier bars 18El are adapted for detachable connection with the belts 16 and when applied to the latter, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, lie adjacent to the main carrier bar 18. The supplemental carrier bars are provided with openings 19a, which are alined with one set of a-lined openings in the several bars, the arm 22 associated with said pins will be actuated a number of times corresponding ,to the number of pins used.

IVhat I c laim is:

`1. In a voting machine, a supporting frame, a horizontally disposed carrier bar, means for moving said bar through a horizontal path toward one end of said frame and inverting the bar after it has been moved through a predetermined distance, said barbeing provided with a plurality of vertically extending openings extending from the upper face thereof, pins fitting loosely into any of said openings, selectively, and vote registering mechanisms positioned to be engaged by the respect-ive pins and operated thereby during travel of the bar and before inversion thereof, the `pins being discharged from the bar by gravity when said bar is inverted.

2.111 a voting machine, a supporting frame, a carrier operable therein, pins fitting loosely into said carrier, vote register-l ing mechanisms adapted to be engaged and operated by said kpins respectively during operation of the carrier, and means for operating'said carrier so as to move the pins into engagement with said vote registering mechanisms, said means being adapted to operate the carrier so as to cause discharge of, the pins therefrom by gravity after actuation of said vote registering mechanisms by the pins.

3. In aA voting machine, a supporting frame, vote registering mechanismscarried thereby, a carrier movable in said frame, pins loosely mounted in said carrier, and means for operating the carrier so as to bringthe pins thereof into engagement with the respective vote registering mechanisms for actuating the saine, said means being adapted to'cause discharge of the pins from the carrier after actuation of the registering mechanisms.

4. In a, voting machine, a supporting frame, a horizont-ally disposed endless belt, a `carrier bar mounted on the upper run of said belt and provided with a plurality of vertically disposed recesses extending from the'rupper face thereof, pins fitting loosely into said recesses and projecting above the upper face of the bar, vote registering diately subsequent to actuation of said vote 10 mechanisms positioned to be engaged by the registering mechanisms.

respective pins when the `belt is operated In testimon whereof I ax my signature so as to be acuaeld thereby, and1 means for in presence o two Witnesses.

operating sai t in proper irection to n cause engagement of the pins with the regis- DANIEL P' MCCARTHY tering mechanisms, the ar being inverted Witnesses:

upon continued travel of the belt so as to M. W. HALE,

cause discharge of the pins therefrom imme- M. T. WELSH.

Uopiel of this patent may be obtained for nve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

